This invention relates to a hi-hat percussion instrument, and more particularly, to an improved hi-hat percussion instrument having a spring between the cymbals to bias the cymbals apart, a flexible member connecting the lower rod of the treadle stand and the movable top cymbal and a pivoting knuckle that permits the tilting of the cymbal assembly.
Hi-hat percussion instruments comprise a pairing of two cymbals that come together to make a clashing cymbal sound by action of a foot pedal. Most often and presently popular, the upper cymbal is connected to the foot pedal by a rod passing through the treadle stand with spring biasing in the stand adjacent to pedal to bias the upper cymbal up and away from the fixed lower cymbal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,995 issued to Londe shows one variant example of an external upper, resilient biasing means. The biasing support holds the cymbals apart and permits the cymbals to come together by the flexing of the bellcrank lever pivotally connected to an L-shaped arm. The upper cymbal is connected to the foot pedal by means of a straight wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,810 issued to Crigger discloses an angularly adjustable hi-hat cymbal mounting head with a shaft connecting the upper cymbal and a complex biased linkage connected to the shaft and pedal of the treadle stand. Substantial friction and wear will occur with this mounting head as well as slight delays in action due to the complex biased linkage connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,262 issued to Havens, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,819 issued to Hoshino reveal a lower cymbal tilting mechanism for hi-hat cymbal stands.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,151 issued to Kurosaki discloses a hi-hat cymbal holder that permits a vertical gap adjustment of the upper movable cymbal by hand-ring rotary motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,500 shows a remote hi-hat percussion instrument with a connector unit and biasing spring being located below the cymbal assembly.
German Patent Nos. 3520837 and 3503870 disclose tilting hi-hat stands with pivoting knuckles frictionally secured with cables or chains passing therethrough. Tilting the hi-hat cymbal assemblies of these two references causes the cymbals to be moved too close to the drummer while the pedal of the treadle stand is uncomfortably moved away from the drummer. This undesirable characteristic is illustrated in FIG. 1 by comparing Length L.sub.1 to Length L.sub.2 of FIG. 2.
Lowering the pivoting joint in the percussion instrument also creates a tip-over problem in addition to the spacial problems. Specifically, cymbals may range from 12, 13, 14 and 15 inches in diameter weighing up to three pounds per cymbal. Two cymbals extending outwardly from a lower pivoting joint can make the instrument easily tip over, especially when hit with drum sticks. Further, this tilting creates additional wear and bending of parts over time due to the weights of the cymbals.
There is a need for an improved hi-hat percussion instrument that will permit the hi-hat cymbal assembly to have varying angles without spacial disadvantages. Such an instrument must be simple, extremely smooth and subject to little wear of only a few moving parts.